Game Preview: Oilers vs. Thunder - Tonight at 7:05 p.m.
November 27, 2015 - ECHL (ECHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release
TONIGHT'S MATCHUP
The Oilers face off against the Thunder for the third meeting of the season and for the second time at the BOK Center. Tulsa is 0-1-0-1 against Wichita in the StoneWolf Casino Cup series with a regulation loss on opening night and a 2-1 shootout loss on November 11. The Oilers trail the Thunder by one point for third place in the Central Division and the long-time rivals will clash again tomorrow night at Intrust Bank Arena.
NEW NAMES
Earlier this week, the Oilers signed defenseman Mathieu Brisebois and goaltender Matt Grogan. Brisebois, 23, appeared in nine games for the Norfolk Admirals this season and one game for the Evansville Icemen before being re-assigned to Tulsa by the Chicago Blachawks of the NHL. A native of Mont St-Hilaire, Quebec, Brisebois has played 42 games in the AHL and spent most of last season with the Rapid City Rush (ECHL). Grogan arrives in Tulsa after starting the season with the Mississippi Riverkings (SPHL) where he posted a 4-0-0 record to go along with a 2.74 goals against average. The 27-year old played four years of college hockey at the University of Connecticut before turning pro with the Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL) at the end of the 2013-14 season.
HELPING HAND
Defenseman Dennis Brown is on a five-game assist streak and has dished out a total of eight helpers during in that span. Brown's run is the longest point streak and longest assist streak for any Oilers' player this season. The second-year pro out of Cypress California chipped in three assists in the Oilers' win over Allen on Saturday night and is tied for fifth among all ECHL defensemen with nine assists on the season. Since joining the Oilers three games into the season, Brown has recorded at least one point in eight of his 11 outings.
SLUMP BUSTER
After being held without a goal through the first 12 games of the season, Oilers' winger Adam Pleskach found his scoring touch over the last two contests. Saturday in Allen, the 27-year old notched the fourth hat-trick of his three-year career with one goal in the first period and a pair of strikes in the second period. Pleskach found the back of the net on Sunday as well for his fourth goal in two games. The Beausejour, Manitoba native is on a three game point streak (4 goals, 2 assists) and leads the Oilers with 14 points on the season.
OFF TO A GOOD START
Rookie center Christophe Lalancette put up two points in all three games last weekend and has rolled up six points (2 goals, 4 assists) in his first five games as a pro. A fourth-round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2012, Lalancette scored his first career goal on Friday against Missouri. Newly acquired forward Emerson Clark scored his first goal as an Oiler in his first game as an Oiler on Friday and followed up with a goal and assist on Saturday against Allen.
OFFENSE ON TRACK
In the third period against Missouri on Friday, the Oilers scored three goals in a single period for the first time this season and carried the offensive momentum into Allen on Saturday with three first period strikes against the Americans. The Oilers have hit the back of the net 13 times in the last three games after scoring only eight total goals in the previous five contests. The six-goal outburst on Saturday was the Oilers highest offensive output of the season and the five-goal win was the largest margin of victory this season.
SEIZING THE ADVANTAGE
The Oilers have scored power play goals in four of their last five games. On home ice at the BOK Center, the Oilers are cashing in on nearly one out of every four power play opportunities (4-for-17) and overall, the Oilers rank 16th in the league with a 15.7-percent success rate with the man-advantage.
OIL DROPS
Tulsa captain Nathan Lutz played in his 850th career game last Friday against Missouri...The Oilers are 0-7-1-0 when giving up the first goal of the game...Tulsa ranks eighth in the ECHL with an average of 2.64 goals against per game...The Oilers are 27th in the league with an average of just 25 shots per game.
TONIGHT'S MATCHUP
Tulsa Oilers vs. Wichita Thunder - 7:05 p.m. at BOK Center
Watch on ECHL-TV
Listen on Ustream
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
October 16 - Wichita 3 at Tulsa 2
November 11 - Tulsa 1 at Wichita 2 (shootout)
TEAM CAPSULES
Tulsa Oilers
Overall: 5-7-1-1 (12 points)
Home: 3-3-1-0
Road: 2-4-0-1
Rank: 4th in Central Division
Wichita Thunder
Overall: 6-10-0-1-0-0 (13 points)
Home: 5-5-0-1
Road: 1-5-0-0
Rank: 3rd in Central Division
OILERS LEADERS
Goals: Emerson Clark - 5
Assists: Dennis Brown, Adam Pleskach - 10
Points: Adam Pleskach - 14
+/-: Matt Konan +7
PIM: Emerson Clark, Mathieu Gagnon - 39
THUNDER LEADERS
Goals: 7 players tied - 4
Assists: Peter Sakaris - 8
Points: Peter Sakaris - 12
+/-: Andrew Huff, Mason Baptista, +5
PIM: Dan Milan - 37
TULSA VS. WICHITA ALL-TIME
Overall: 133-107-26
Home: 72-47-13
Road: 61-60-14
• Discuss this story on the ECHL message board...
ECHL Stories from November 27, 2015
- Grizzlies Hand Americans Big Loss - Allen Americans
- Royals Outraced by Swamp Rabbits, 6-3 - Reading Royals
- Carr Carries Oilers to 2-0 Victory over Thunder - Tulsa Oilers
- Steelheads' strong defensive effort slows Rush - Idaho Steelheads
- Back-To-Back: 'Blades Shut out Eagles for Second Straight Game - Florida Everblades
- Altshuller Crafts 21-Save Shutout as Eagles Fall - Colorado Eagles
- Third-Period Comeback Not Enough as Admirals Tumble in Shootout - Norfolk Admirals
- Rush Fall to Idaho - Rapid City Rush
- Mavericks Top Fuel 4-2 - Indy Fuel
- K-Wings Can't Duck Mallards on Road - Kalamazoo Wings
- Monarchs Survive Admirals Comeback, Win 6-5 in Shootout - Manchester Monarchs
- Carr Shuts Down Thunder in 2-0 Win - Wichita Thunder
- Mallards Ground Wings 3-1 - Quad City Mallards
- Bonar Stands Tall But Beast Drop 4-1 Decision to Walleye - Brampton Beast
- Combs' Hat Trick Propels Swamp Rabbits Past Royals - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Solar Bears Earn Point in 4-3 Shootout Loss to Gladiators - Orlando Solar Bears
- Toledo Cages the Beast 4-1 - Toledo Walleye
- Atlanta Powers Past Solar Bears in 4-3 Shootout Win - Atlanta Gladiators
- Beast Sign Three Ahead of Road Trip - Brampton Beast
- Norfolk Signs Nicolas Blanchard, Releases Kurt Etchegary - Norfolk Admirals
- ECHL Transactions - November 27 - ECHL
- Game Day Preview: Allen at Utah - Allen Americans
- Game Day Capsule: Wichita at Tulsa, November 27th - Wichita Thunder
- 'Blades Add Center Ryan Martindale; DiSalvatore Loaned to Springfield - Florida Everblades
- Nailers Announce Holiday Ticket Packages - Wheeling Nailers
- Weekend Preview: Rabbits Continue North for Three-Game Set - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Game Preview: Oilers vs. Thunder - Tonight at 7:05 p.m. - Tulsa Oilers
- Findlay, Massa Head from Solar Bears to Marlies - Orlando Solar Bears
- Goaltender Connor Knapp Recalled to Lehigh Valley; Forward Brandon Alderson Assigned to Reading - Reading Royals
- Stingrays Add Louis Belisle and Ryan Ruikka to Roster - South Carolina Stingrays
- Paramount Fine Foods, Brampton Beast to Launch 'Saves for Syria' Campaign - Brampton Beast
- Mallards Game Day - Quad City Mallards
- Fyten Recalled and Lewington Reassigned to Hershey Bears - South Carolina Stingrays
- ECHL Today - November 27 - ECHL
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
